Connect Palette Case to Stereo

Hi there

i recently bought a 104hp 4u case and wonder if and how i could connect it to my stereo (which i am afraid of because it is quite expensive).

my stereo consists of a pair of focal kanta 3 and a NAD M10 amplifier.

I guess i could connect the 3.5mm outs to the amp but which ones? or do i need additional stuff? which ones of the I/O are for what eludes me.

please enlighten me.
thanks

It will depend on what kind of outputs you have on your case and what kind of inputs you have available on the amp. I should also state that hifi amps are not made for this kind of purpose so there’s a chance of damaging it and you should be VERY careful with volume levels. Never connect the output of a VCA directly to your amp because it will be at full euro level!

If you have the Headphones 1U you could use an adaptor or y-cable to go 1/4" TRS to RCA. Or with the Stereo Line Out or Mixup connected to the 1/4" case jacks you could use 1/4" to RCA cables.

thanks for the fast reply. i have the 104 4u palette case. couldn’t i use the built in large sockets on the right side of the rack for output?

also i could turn down the volume on the amp thus being careful (?). sadly i’m a noob concerning connectivity.

Yes, but the large sockets only send sound if they’re connected to a module. You might want to check out this video for a better understanding of how you can use them: The Ins and Outs of 1U - YouTube

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You have three different signal levels to consider here:

  1. Eurorack level (VERY HIGH!)
  2. Pro line level (+4dBu)
  3. Consumer line level (-10dBV)

Your amp is made to receive #3. The TRS jacks on the Palette, as ScottMFR wrote, don’t do anything without a module connected to them. I believe the Stereo Line Out 1U module reduces the Eurorack level signals and sends #2, which is hotter than #3, but it can work - I’ve been sending +4dBu to my old Adcom amp and Mirage speakers/sub for years, and nothing bad has ever happened. NAD makes great stuff, and I’d be surprised if your amp couldn’t handle +4dBu (but of course I assume no liability). But yeah, be careful with volume…but it isn’t just a matter of keeping the volume on your amp low. You should also turn down the volume/gain on the Stereo Line Out 1U to lower the signal being sent to your stereo.

Do not send Eurorack level signals to your amp!

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Thanks. I certainly would turn down every volume knob i have before attempting this. i wish i had a “cheaper” speaker/amp combo to test that on. i know… first world problems.

ok as i understand, it should work like this, correct?

Yes that looks correct. Since you’re using unbalanced connections anyway, you could also just connect a Mixup to the case jacks. That way you would just need 1 module instead of 2 (The Mixup instead of the Doepfer mixer and the Stereo Line Out 1U).